Usurper
by Coneko
Summary: Serena and Mina are twins. Mina is married to Darien, but feels like having fun with another man by touring the world for a while. She doesn't want to loose her husband, so what will she do to cover this up? By tricking her twin into taking her place!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi owns Sailor Moon.

**Prologue**

_London, England_

Mina pondered things over as she drove towards her sister's apartment. Having money made it so much easier to find people nowadays. Her brows furrowed in nervousness. She knew she had nothing to worry about; Serena would do as she wised. There was no way out.

That's not what had her uneasy at all. She was worried that her 'little' sister would not be able to keep up the act for that length of time. It was funny how Serena could easily be manipulated by Mina, but it would not be funny if she messed everything up. Even Mina, being the risk-taker she'd always been, knew that if she got discovered it would be the end.

Although she had a backup plan for _everything_, didn't make things look any easier. This was a risk she was willing to take. Andrew was really something else. He was so exciting and fiery, and just something about him made her go wild. Not that she complained of her husband Darien. He was the opposite of Andrew, so icy and composed. Sometimes he was colder than she wished him to be, but was hotter in other more intimate senses. Overall, he was _wealthy_. At twenty-seven years old, he was the heir of Shields Corporation. It was a major company known all over the world, and therefore; more valuable than Andrew.

Andrew was so _fun_ though, he was so energetic. He was just so great. They had already been together for about eight months now, but both felt that they needed a vacation. So that's how the idea came about that Serena would be needed for this. If both were to be alone uninterrupted and not caught, then Mina's identical twin would have to be involved.

Now, it wasn't that Mina did not love her husband. Darien was everything she had always wanted to have in a man. She would choose him over anyone anytime, and having all that money really made matters so much better…

Yet, having an affair just made things more exciting. She did not understand why it was so wrong to have more than one lover at the time. She just wasn't ready to be with only _one_ man. Maybe she would get around to that when menopause hit her.

She shrugged away all thoughts of her husband as she parked in the parking lot. Now her only focus had to be in getting what she wanted. She had to make sure that Serena would not screw up, and she would need to train her to be Mina Shields. Just so she could have everything she wanted. So that when Mina would return home, no one would know she'd been gone all this time.

It sounded like a solid plan to Mina. This was great. She felt chills run up her spine just thinking of all these exciting things she would encounter for the next six months. She was not a bad person; at least she did not believe it to be. It was simply that she was not used to _not_ obtaining what she desired, and when things didn't want to go her way, she had to _make_ them go her way.

Was that really being a bad person? She did not think so. She wasn't bad at all; she only got what she deserved.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Serena heard the doorbell ring more than five times and now was really not the time to wake her up. First of all, she was so not into being bothered while sleeping not to mention the fact that it was really late at night. She rubbed her eyes, grimacing as she heard it ring just one more time.

She was not entirely awake, but not stupid and checked the peephole before she decided to open the door. She took a step back and gasped. "Mina!" She said out loud. She felt her heart beat fast and perspiration gather on the nape of her neck. Serena was frozen on the spot, her hand wanted to reach the doorknob but it didn't want to obey. It did not want to open the door. Okay, so maybe it was not her hand but _she_ was the one who didn't want to open it.

Why in the world was her twin sister here? After so many years… why was she? She did not finish the thought as Mina rang the bell one more time. She took a deep breath and numbly opened the door.

Mina invited herself in and walked swiftly by the flabbergasted Serena. "Hello 'sis." Mina looked Serena up and down in contempt. To Mina no matter how identical they were, _she_ was and would always be the more beautiful of the two. It all happened with class; Serena was too average compared to Mina. "Well, better close the door no?"

Serena numbly nodded, "Of course… I wouldn't want anyone unpleasant to just barge in." She dripped with sarcasm. As she closed it behind her, she heard Mina as she sat on the black leather sofa.

Finally both twins made eye contact, and icy cold air seemed to suddenly come to the apartment. Serena stood watching her 'reflection.' _She_ _has always been so sophisticated,_ Serena thought. Right now Mina wore a black turtle neck with a khaki long skirt, followed by black boots. Her hair was in a tight bun, and her ears were adorned by diamond earrings. Mina had one leg crossed over the other and her hands were laid patiently on her lap. Serena immediately saw the gold ring on Mina's left hand.

"What do you want?" Serena almost gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe how much rage she felt for her own blood.

"I came here simply because it is time that you return the favor."

Serena took a sharp intake of breath, "What? Of—of what? For what?"

"Sis, please do not play dumb with me. If you don't want anyone to know your dark secret it is time for you to return the favor. Oh, and please do not dare act dumb. It really, really doesn't go on you."

Serena rubbed her temples. It hadn't been her fault at all. It had all been an accident, and yet her twin had made it look intentional. This was the only thing she wished she could turn back time for. It was not supposed to have ended like that. It was enough pain knowing that she could have prevented the accident. Now this, ever since that event; her sister had had her in the palm of her hand. At any time she wanted to, she could make it seem like it had been Serena's fault. Like Serena had killed her own grandmother…

"Serena! Damn it! Stop looking back at the past. Stop telling yourself that it was an accident. Since you knew that grandmother was going to leave her fortune to you, you decided to kill her. It's as easy as that."

Serena covered her ears, "Stop it! I did _not_ kill my own grandmother! You know how much I loved her… how close we were! Stop saying that… that."

"If you hadn't argued with her about something stupid and bizarre that time, she would have still been with us. You know that she had a heart condition, but that didn't stop you from telling her what she shouldn't have heard… did it? It's all because you wanted her money."

Serena roughly wiped the tears that were streaming down her eyes. "Stop! Just stop! After three years of not seeing you… you manage to locate me somehow and it's only to talk about what happened five years ago?!"

Mina stood and smiled at her sister's despair, "No one knows the truth but me Serena. I was there… I witnessed everything. Yet, I kept my mouth shut because you are my sister, and family should help family. Although on your case to get your way you had to get rid of someone _in_ the family…"

"Stop! I didn't! You know I didn't! The doctor had said that she was getting better… I didn't mean for her to get a heart attack…" She couldn't take this anymore, is that why her sister was there? Why was she bringing the dark past? Although it had been an accident, it still hurt so much. She knew that she had not killed her grandmother, but somehow she had been the cause. If they had not had that argument, if she had not pushed that subject… All these years she had lived through that pain. Yet, she was no murderer. Serena Gellar was no murderer. Knowing that still did not make her feel responsible for the death of the one person in her family who she felt had really loved her.

"You know you can go to jail for that. In fact, you can go for many years. You know that don't you?"

"I know… but you know it wasn't my fault. Why would you tell them it was my fault? I am your sister."

"Well look, to be honest, I don't want you in jail. You wouldn't be use to me if you were stuck there." Mina's bitter word stung Serena's heart.

"You can't do that though, you have no proof that—"

"I can say that you took advantage of her condition to provoke a heart attack… to get the fortune because you couldn't wait to have your hands on it. Everyone would believe me, because everyone knew that a large fortune awaited you. Everyone would believe me because… I saw everything. I saw how you caused her death."

"Shut up! Enough! It's enough that I remember her painful death… just tell me what you want. I'll do anything you ask. I mean, all you do is blackmail me since that day. You always get your way don't you? You like tormenting me this way, but we both know that I didn't do it on purpose so I won't let you put me in jail for a crime I did not commit. Let alone on someone who I dearly loved!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't care for your dramatic speech. You will do as I say, do you hear? Or I'll make sure you pass the remainder of days in jail."

Serena stiffened, waiting for yet another thing she would have to do for her sister. She had secretly been so happy that she had left everyone and ran away with that guy in high school, because ever since the incident, Mina had made her do things she wished she didn't remember. "When will you stop using me for your dirty games? When will I stop doing things I don't want for your benefit? I am so tired of you—"

Mina shushed her, "Relax sis, you know the usual things I make you do for me no? I made you do my homework for me… be in class for me, steal from our parents for me, and even go to work for me. You always acting and being in my shoes."

She went and sat down in the sofa again, this time putting her legs on it too and laying down comfortably. "I mean, you can't really complain. It _is_ good to be me no? You have always been so opaque. A nobody, no one has really ever noticed you. I've always been the center of attention because no matter how identical we look I have always been the most charming and beautiful one. You should be happy I've let you be in my shoes. So you could have a little taste of what glory should be."

"Look, I just want this to stop. What can I do for it to just be stopped? I am so sick of this. Just get out of my life again."

"Now don't worry, I give you my word that this is the last thing you are going to do for me. It's quite challenging so you can say that this is an equal for me keeping quiet about our sweet grandmother…"

"You don't have solid proof…"

"Oh trust me if before I didn't, now I do."

"But how…?"

"I have many, many influences. Serena, be smart. There is no way out for you. It's best that you just do what I want from you. Really… I would really do it if I were you. I mean for your own sake of course."

Serena sat on the floor, exhausted, "So you say this is the last time you will blackmail me?"

"Of course, and I do keep my word. I know I am not that great of a person, but you know that I know how to keep my word."

"So you want me to take your place yet again?"

"Aha." She stood yet again and grabbed her sister's shoulders. "This time it's going to be longer than a day though, longer than a usual errand I would ask you to do. This time you will be Mina _Shields_, you are a married woman of a very wealthy man. You little sis, will be a loving wife for six months."

Serena moved away and scoffed, "Six months? Are you crazy? I can barely keep the act together for a day, you actually think I could do it for six months? As a married woman? Okay Mina, you have gone too far. You know that's not possible."

"I said that it will be the last thing I'll ask, and you are in no position to decide… If you want your freedom, you will be a usurper for six whole months."

Serena felt a heavy feeling envelope her senses. She couldn't believe that she was going to do this, but if that was the prize for freedom then she would just have to do it. Why did she let her sister do this to her? Simply because she knew her parents, and they would agree with her sister, they would all believe her. A lawyer was out of the question when her sister's lawyer would be their own father. Someone so well known that he was respected and honored more than many lawyers in the United States.

She felt her shoulders slump, and her head bowed as she agreed to her sister's demands. For doing such things she was sure she would go to hell.

"You better not screw this up Serena." Mina said as she flipped over her notes on the brown coffee table located at the center of Serena's living room. They had already gone over the way Serena should walk, talk, and dress. Now to Mina came the challenging part for Serena.

Serena sat across her sister. Both were sitting on the floor with legs crossed. "Trust me, screwing up is not something I want to do. Mina, did you by any chance think that it will be peculiar to my partner Michiru that I will suddenly be gone? With no note or anything?"

Mina smiled smugly, "Who do you think you are speaking with? Michiru will go on with business in the art gallery. I called her on the phone yesterday, posing as you. Letting her know that I'm—meaning you—had to go back to the states because your mother is sick. Therefore, you don't know how long you'll be there."

Serena scoffed, "How did you get her number? And I mean—."

"How I got that information should be the least of your concern. Now on to more important subjects. This," She gave a list of names to Serena to look at. "list gives you the names of the people you must know names, and little facts about each of them. As you can see," She handed her a sparrow, "on this sparrow I have put important notes about each of them."

"That's only so you can memorize what I know from them, now it's important that you remember everything about them. There are not many people in my household whom I really care to remember names or anything of that like, so I only wrote info on people that matter."

"Finally," She gave Serena a folder and opened it for her, "These pictures are so you recognize the people that matter. Each has their names labeled. Just so you don't look like a fool and not know their faces."

Serena sighed loudly, "Wow, this sparrow has a lot of info no?" She skimmed through it and placed it on the coffee table. She was going to deceive so many people, but she didn't deserve to go to jail. If this was the price she would have to pay… so be it.

"Now, you'll find how you need to act around each of these as I've written already. But, right now I want to focus on three people."

"This is Rei Shields." She handed her a picture of a woman with long, straight black hair with remarkable features. "She is Darien's younger sister, and she hates me. I dislike her too, immensely. You will need to constantly make her feel bad, and just be the equal pain in the ass she will be to you. Her and I constantly argue over anything, so if you can keep that up, that will be great. She is a fashion designer, and also married to this guy—," she handed another picture of a man with wavy, blond hair. "Jaden, I don't like him either. We both keep each other's distance. We really don't care to acknowledge each others presence. He's a doctor so he will often not be home."

Serena listened closely and looked at the two pictures.

Mina handed her another one, this had a woman in a yellow blouse with glittering black eyes matched by shiny black hair. "That's Luna," Mina said disdainfully, "she is the aunt of Darien and Rei. I haven't paid much attention to her, she actually freaks me out. For some reason she is a weirdo who thinks she is a psychic or something like that. Don't listen to her crap, I don't. She never liked me. Not even in these two years of marriage with Darien. She doesn't disrespect me and I don't pay attention to her, but the ill feelings are mutual. I don't even know _what_ she does for a living."

Serena almost rolled her eyes; she wasn't surprised that they weren't so fond of her. "Ok, what next?" She said as she saw Mina get another picture.

This was a close-up of a man with dark blue eyes, a pale complexion, and ebony hair. He looked cold and unemotional; something about him gave Serena goose bumps.

"That's my husband Darien. He is frivolous, but has a kind heart. He cares for others, but I'm sure his company is what's most important to him. He will give you anything you want as long as you don't ask him for time off work to spend with you. The company means everything to him, but you will also be important. As long as you don't meddle into his affairs everything will run smoothly. You will possibly hardly see him, seeing as he goes to constant business trips."

"Now I'm a very loving wife. I get everything I want, and all I have to do is be very loving to him. Now I know you must know that if he asks something from you, you must give it to him. We have sex all the time and you will do it whenever he wants it, you will dress however he wants and you—."

"Woah! Wait a second!" Serena jumped up. "I am not going to have sex with _your_ husband! That's crossing the line way too much!"

Mina shrugged, "Well as long as he does not suspect a thing I really don't give a damn what you do or not do with him. But I strongly advice that you give in to his demands, he is a good lover. You should be happy that I am lending him to you."

"Ugh. You are sick! You are asking me to—."

"No, I'm only asking you to do as he says. I would never deny him of my body and if you do something that _I_ wouldn't do, that could put your freedom in jeopardy. I'm only saying that don't do anything more or anything less that I wouldn't do." Mina tossed her long hair back. "Now I think you've had enough. Study this and you should be ready to set foot on the states by tomorrow." She stood and walked away.

Serena rubbed her temples and gathered the journal that would tell her things from Mina's life.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.

AN: Jadeite Jaden, ZoisiteZachary, Malaquite Matthew/ Those will be their names. Thank you so much for your feedback! I hope you will all enjoy the way this turns out to be, thanks for reviews! Yay you know I love them! This chapter contains a new scenario, but I kept something the same as well.

**Chapter: 2**

_Wednesday: 9:02 a.m. Los Angeles, CA_

Serena still could not believe she was doing this. She was actually doing it._ It's only six months,_ she told herself. _I can handle it, it will be worse than going to jail that's for sure. _Any other person could simply tell her to not take this; she should tell the authorities about everything she was going through. But any other person did not know what Mina was capable of. She was not a person who would let anyone get away with anything. Deep down Serena hated to admit that her sister intimidated her more than a little.

She had been gripping her seat for most of the flight, her knuckles white. She hated heights though, oh how she _loathed_ them. Traveling on airplane was essential, but it was pure torture for her. Just thinking about how high she was and how something could just go wrong and she could just fall… made her heart beat fast.

She was grateful to be back on land though. The flight had finally landed and it wouldn't be long until she would meet Darien Shields. According to Mina, he was going to pick her up. She felt her chest tighten, she had never been that great at acting or lying and that's exactly what she was about to do. _I know I'll probably go to hell for this,_ she thought. To deceive so many people was terrible, but to pass the remainder of her days in prison for a crime she did not commit was even worse.

She couldn't be in prison, her gallery would suffer. She loved to paint, that's the only thing she greatly valued and she could not let Mina take that away from her. Mina _did_ keep her word and this would be the last thing she would do for her twin. Why had Mina turned out like that? Her own blood doing this to her…

Her thoughts had trailed off so much that she almost forgot that they had landed and it was time for her to get off the plane. It was also time to begin the façade of being in Mina's shoes.

It had been a whole week without seeing his wife. Darien Shields waited impatiently for her at the lobby. He unbuttoned the top three buttons of his black dress shirt as he paced and cursed under his breath. Why was she late? She should have been there at 8:45 and it was already 9:07.

He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply. He felt anxious, and it wasn't entirely because she was behind schedule but… there was just something that was bothering him. He didn't know what, but something just didn't feel right at all. He could not point a finger to it, but he felt edgy. Maybe it was the fact that the lobby was hot as if the air conditioner was off, or maybe it was the fact that he needed to get some papers done as soon as he got home so he could finish up a project.

Whatever reasons he could come up with, the best guess was Mina. She was the cause of this uneasiness and he could not place the source of why it was even there. He shrugged this uncertainty away and checked his watch one more time.

Serena stepped into the lobby and she was glad she wore a white summer dress. The air was so damp and heavy it made her feel dizzy, and her long loose hair didn't help. She opened her white handbag and took out Darien's picture again. It was only to make sure that she remembered his face, but his cold eyes were already engraved on her mind. It was impossible to forget a face such as his.

She yelped as she felt a strong arm encircle her waist. "Did you miss me?" A seductive male voice whispered on her right ear. The voice itself brought chills to her skin.

She abruptly turned around only to be face to chest to Darien Shields. Wide blue eyes clashed with darker blue eyes, and both involuntarily took a step back. Both suddenly felt electricity run down their veins, and a magnet pulling them closer together.

He felt like he'd never seen anyone more beautiful than Mina. Her lips were so lush and full, and he couldn't wait to taste her soft lips. To kiss her and hold her tight in his strong grasp, was all he wanted. He leaned down to her to do just that when he felt her hands push him away.

This was like a bucket of cold water; Mina had never pushed him away. It was like a slap to the face, this was just something that had not happened before and it greatly surprised Darien. "What's going on?" His eyes were searching hers in puzzlement.

Serena opened her mouth to speak but words didn't come out. He was hotter than in that picture, for a moment she hadn't seen that coldness in his eyes. Instead, she'd seen something fierce and fiery in them. She'd pushed him away though, and just as quickly that thing she thought she saw was gone.

She finally found her voice, "I—I I'm sorry, I don't feel so good. It's just that I feel dizzy and—and you are so tall you know? It makes me…"

He managed to smile, "I understand. I suppose we must get going."

She firmly nodded. "So, where's the car?"

* * *

A limo awaited her and Serena couldn't help but roll her eyes. She didn't like limos; they were too showy and unnecessary. The chauffer opened the door for Darien and her, and she almost gasped as she felt his hand accidentally touch the middle of her back. 

The air felt heavy and thick as both sat across from one another. Serena kept looking out the window, like she'd never seen how an airport looked before, while he intently looked at her face.

"You're breathing hard, something wrong?"

She didn't face him, "Absolutely not, everything's great! You know, just glad to be home that's all. I guess I am a little too quiet no?"

He smirked, "Just a little."

Why did the inside of the limo feel so closed up? He was sitting right across from her but that did not mean she still didn't feel the chills he'd made her have. She looked at her nails for no particular reason, they looked nice. Yes, very nice. She'd had a manicure three days ago and her nails looked ravishing. Well maybe not ravishing but…

Her silly thoughts were interrupted by his deep voice. "Do you feel better? Has your stomach settled?"

She risked and looked up to meet his gaze. She was frozen at the spot, unable to move or speak. There was just something about him that made her pulse beat faster. "Yes it has," She finally said. "I feel a lot better too." She smiled sheepishly.

He simply nodded, "Alright." His gaze shifted as he began to read a newspaper.

She couldn't help but feel immensely awkward. She felt like a complete stranger, well wasn't that what she was after all? Just a stranger in her sister's shoes, nothing more. This was insane, and she knew it. Maybe if she just went to the authorities to tell them what had happened. Just maybe someone out there would believe she was a victim, and then Mina would just get out of her life.

Realistically though, she knew she couldn't. Mina said she had evidence and who could really fight against that? Not to mention the fact that now she was a usurper. Mina could always come up with a better story and with more evidence. It wasn't that Serena was a coward or a pessimist. Unfortunately, she had had her experiences to realize that if Mina did not get what she wanted, she would make sure she would. Sometimes at extreme measures Serena wished to not remember.

She sighed and sneaked a glance at him. He wasn't paying any attention to her anymore; all of his concentration seemed to be on the newspaper. He must have been reading something important because his brows were furrowed and he gripped the paper tightly.

She could tell that he was the type of guy that always got attention with women. His eyes were dark and mysterious, his hair was ebony and his bangs fell over his eyes. His build was tall and muscular, and his sense of style was not bad at all. Serena for some reason had never had the fortune to attract a man like him. Her sister had always seemed to get the attention.

As they were growing up, many times Serena would think that they were after her, just to find out later that it was her sister they were attracted to. Many would think she'd be envious, but in fact she wasn't. For some reason she'd never been the typical girl to fall in and out of love quickly. Boys hadn't been her main priority, art and school had taken most of her time.

Still, it would have been nice to know that a man such as the one that sat in front of her had at least wanted to have her attention. She gave a little shrug at the thought that crossed her mind. She was twenty-two years old so maybe she'd finally realized that she needed a man to stop feeling lonely.

She laughed out loud at the last thought. _As if!_

Darien looked up from his newspaper to see her laughing for no particular reason. "What's so funny?"

She abruptly stopped laughing. "Nothing at all, I—I was just remembering something silly someone said earlier. That's all."

He slightly frowned in thought, "Really? I was almost afraid that it was something on my face. You've been staring at me for the past five minutes. I thought that maybe you were just mesmerized by me so I didn't want to disturb your observation. So you laugh, and I suddenly felt my ego fall a notch. There's nothing wrong with admiring how hot I am sweetie."

She opened her mouth a bit to speak, but he interrupted. "Now I don't mind you looking at me at all, just proceed. If you want I'll sit next to you for closer inspection sweetheart."

Serena almost scoffed; the guy was full of it! She shouldn't be surprised but he _knew_ she'd been looking at his…features and he didn't say anything. She felt her cheeks go red with a little bit of anger and annoyance, but mostly of shame. This was so typical though, a man looks good, he knows and he is full of it!

She immediately realized that she would not get to even like him at all. Not that she could, but still. People like him were called snobs, and Serena did not like snobs. No matter how hot they were. Right then and there she made up her mind to not like the man—as a friend or whatever else she was allowed to like him as. She should really stop reading those romance novels, she figured. If those darn things did not describe how hot the hero was, then she wouldn't confuse him to be one of those men. She hated to admit it, but he looked like the men in the cover. He was just like someone who popped out of a romance novel. But they weren't snobs. He was and that was that.

Maybe she would work on lowering that fat ego of his. She smiled at that.

"You've been staring at me with a daze for about a minute; hey if you want me right now you know you can have me. Just say the words…"

Her eyes grew wide. "No I don't--," she almost wanted to say she didn't want him. But a nice wife couldn't really do that could she? "No, I… I wasn't really looking at your face darling, it's just that I was spacing out and it was just a coincidence that my eyes happened to land upon you." She smiled brightly. _Take that!_

He immediately sat next and close to her, his eyes were beguiling just like his tone. "Hmm I've never seen you smile as beautiful as now. You are truly amazing Mina, your beauty is captivating."

Serena stopped smiling, how _dare_ he just compliment her? Ugh! Well not exactly her, but her sister. She supposed that was plausible when it came to marriage, people could compliment each other. Still, here she was feeling all smug because she'd put him down and he'd ignored it and just sat next to her. He wasn't supposed to be that close darn it! Why did he wear such good cologne too? Why did he just look so immaculate and composed, while she still felt her hair be stuck behind her neck from the earlier perspiration?

She wasn't attracted to him though; she wasn't attracted to conceited disdainful people like him. Not at all.

He lifted her chin and stared at her intently, "I'm glad you feel better because I've wanted to kiss you for quite a while…"

Her eyes grew larger, she could already feel his breath on her lips.

Suddenly her body jolted from the seat as the limo hit a bump harshly. She almost fell but he caught her arm before she hit the floor of the limo. _Note to self: Wear a seatbelt even on a limo._ She told herself.

At the same time she had been happy for the interruption, because she'd somehow evaded that kiss. He was relentless though, and in his eyes she could already tell his intentions. His phone rang, and she thanked the heavens.

He looked at the caller ID and excused himself as he went back to his original seat. "Sorry sweetheart, I have to take this call."

She shrugged, "Oh don't worry about it I understand!" She tried not to sound too relieved.

"Alright Zachary thanks for interrupting, if it wasn't because we're doing that project I wouldn't have picked up." Darien said in a low tone.

"Interrupting?" Zachary asked, "What did I interrupt?"

"Don't worry about it; we'll talk about the project tomorrow at the office. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and sighed.

His gaze shifted to his wife again and watched her as she intently looked out the window. Something was amiss; something was simply different about her. He couldn't tell what it was, but it felt as if there was a barrier between them. He couldn't think of the reason for that, but he knew it was there.

It was as if beneath her skin she was just different. Her hair was a darker gold, and her eyes… maybe it was her eyes. They didn't seem the same as usual. Something just sparkled in their depths. Maybe she looked so refreshed from her trip, but it wasn't like Mina to not be all over him at this point.

He was reading too much into Mina right now, his conclusion was fatigue. He hadn't really had much sleep lately. Tomorrow the project would finally be finished and he had not doubt that this would be a successful investment.

Still her eyes unnerved him; he just couldn't make out what she was thinking at the moment. They looked innocent, something he'd never seen before. He shrugged the thought of his mind and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

* * *

Mina sighed in contentment as she flew in first class with Andrew. She was so excited and she couldn't wait until they arrived at Italy. That was the first stop; afterwards they planned to head out to the Bahamas. She watched her lover while he slept, and smiled as she saw how soundly he slept. 

Out of nowhere Darien came to her mind, and she immediately grabbed a magazine. She wanted to think of other things than Darien. This was a vacation; she should be Darien-free for a while. She loved him so much and she knew that if he were to find out what she'd been up to these years, he'd leave her without thinking twice.

He meant more than anyone else had in her entire life. Then why was she doing this? Simply because no matter how much she loved him…she loved herself more. Sometimes though, love cannot be enough. Not even for her. Even she sometimes needed to choose other things over her, simply so the outcome would turn out to the way it should be.

She was used to being free; she was used to dating anyone she wanted. Loving him did not mean he had captured her freedom and spirit. She had already done that mistake once, and she promised to herself she would not do it again. She would not fall into that trap again.

She had once left home for love. A boy named Matthew had messed with her mind so much, it took months for her to get out of depression. When it had all been over there was no way she could go back to her home. Appearances had mattered so much in her home, she decided to flee and start over. Matt had been the only thing she hadn't been able to obtain, but the last. He'd mattered more than her family, but that hadn't been enough for him.

It was a past she didn't want to remember and all that mattered to her now was the present. All she wanted to do now was to enjoy life. She wanted to do and achieve everything she desired, and maybe at fifty she would settle down. She loved her husband, but she did not regret cheating on him constantly. Her happiness was before anything else.

She thought about what Andrew had mentioned earlier, he'd confessed his love to her. She hadn't felt anything at all, not even a little giddy. Flattered? Of course she was, but then again everyone fell in love with her, except for two men.

Andrew was really cute. He was blond, with strong features and bleached blond hair. He was the definition of a surfer boy. Of course surfing was a hobby. The thing that slightly bothered her though was that he actually mentioned that he wished he could give her anything just like Darien. Maybe like that she would choose him over Darien.

He was wrong though. Andrew was hot, but Darien was her dream man. There was no way in hell she would have to trade him in for anyone.

Andrew was always so hungry for attention, and like a dog made himself heard. While Darien with his mere presence made anyone notice him. All he had to do was walk and people would look at him. To Mina, he was just like her knight in shining armor. That was her secret name for him ever since the first time they met…

_Flashback_

Mina was bored in the stupid party. Some idiot had tried to make a move on her and she didn't even know him. The party was a waste of time especially with obnoxious men, so she decided to leave. She walked to her car, the next day she planned to go to the bar; maybe there she would find an interesting guy.

It was dark and she began shivering but it had nothing to do with the cold air. Slow footsteps approached her, she knew it was something bad so she looked for the right key faster, but her clumsiness made her drop them. She bended down to pick them up, and when she stood the grotesque man from the party stood before her.

She gasped and dropped the keys again. "What the hell do you want?"

He roughly took her by the waist, "Hey sweet cheeks, you rejected me in the party but I know now you will act different. How about we take ourselves to my little place? We'll use your car, you won't mind right?"

He grabbed her chin and pressed his filthy hands tightly on it. "A good kiss would be right about now."

Mina wanted to vomit; the man was truly something out of the ordinary. His hair was in disarray, and his stubble beard made him look homeless, as if he never learned to take a bath. Every time he spoke, his horrible breath made her want to gag.

She could not allow this man to even touch her, so she lifted her knee and aimed for the groin, unfortunately he had expected this and he stopped it by pressing her body to the car.

"Stupid, bitch! So you don't like my affections... then you will suffer the consequences."

"Let go of me you idiot, or I swear I will- -"

"Call the police?" He finished the sentence, "I can't allow that honey, so I am going to teach you a lesson your mother never taught you: Be nice to strangers and do everything they want."

He slapped her hard against her jaw, and pushed her body hard to the floor. "Help someone!" She yelled with all her strength.

"No one hears you," he laughed cynically as he kicked her stomach, "next time park your car where it's more public. On second thought; there won't be a next time."

She couldn't even breathe, the air had been sucked out of her lungs, and screaming for help was now an impossible task. Then she heard screams, but were they her own. She didn't recognize them; they sounded like a dog wailing. She knew she was losing conscience, and she would not allow that. She could not allow this pathetic man take advantage of her. Then she realized that she wasn't being hit anymore, she looked up and although her vision was fuzzy, she saw the man being beaten by another one.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Her savior yelled. "Don't you EVER, ever hit a woman do you hear me?!" He punched the repulsive man again and she could have sworn the man, although limping ran faster than a cheetah.

"What?" She said in a groggy voice.

The 'hero' gently lifted her from the ground, and she almost cried for the pain the miserable man had done to her. "You don't want to hurt me?" It was obvious that this good man had protected her, but her mind was not working right.

He gently turned her face to him, "Trust me, I am here to help you." His eyes were of the most beautiful dark shade of blue.

_End of Flashback_

She had drifted so far in her thoughts she hadn't noticed when Andrew began to kiss her on the neck. She rolled her eyes, sometimes he just ruined everything.

"So…how do you think your sister will do?"

"She'll do fine, she's a smart woman. She is clumsier than me, but I am pretty sure she'll make everything work. Trust me 'Drew, I am not worried at all."

"And are you worried about her sleeping with him?" He asked between kisses.

She pushed him away, and he knowingly smiled. "Look, in order for this to work that's how it has to be. She is the exact replica of me, I'm sure he'll notice some differences but as long as she pleases him there will be nothing to worry about."

Her sister doing her husband was not something Mina wanted to ponder about, but fun did have its consequences and she couldn't control that part. It didn't matter though, because she could bet a million dollars that she was better than Serena at sex too.

"And what happens if your sister snaps and decides that she'll fight back? If she bails on you?"

"Well that's simply not possible. You know I always have a backup plan for everything, if she tries to escape the deal then there will be more consequences to pay. If she was selfish, then there is nothing I could really do about it. But you see, her problem is that she cares for the welfare of others too much. She's an idiot, because that's her major weakness. It is something that I can easily take advantage of."

Andrew nodded, "Alright then. Enough about all that, I think it's time for us to just enjoy ourselves don't you think? You seem to have everything under control anyway."

"Of course." Mina smiled smugly.

* * *

They had finally arrived home. As Serena got off the limo, her eyes shined as she saw the beautiful structure she would live in. The mansion looked antique; it was made out of stone and the way roses surrounded the entrance of the patio, made it look exquisite. If only she could paint it… 

Her attention quickly shifted to the line of people that were standing in front of the house. It might have been about ten people dressed in uniforms to the left; Rei and Jaden were to the right. She gulped and took a deep breath.

"Welcome back Mrs. Shields, we are pleased to have you home again." The servants said in unison.

Serena smiled weakly and nodded, "Thanks…" They treated her like some kind of celebrity.

Jaden walked towards her and gave her a welcoming hug, "Welcome back Mina, I hope you enjoyed your trip."

"Thank you Jaden I did…" She replied. He walked away and this time it was Rei who walked towards her.

She smiled so brightly Serena was slightly surprised. "Hi Mina! Why didn't you stay in London? You're not needed here. Hell, you should just get out of our lives! That would make _me_ happy!" Her warm smile contradicted everything she'd just said.

"Alright Rei that's enough, I told you to be nice for at least today." Darien stepped between the two women.

Her smile disappeared, "Brother, how blind can you be? Can you not see that she is a piece of trash? What do I have to do so you can just know what kind of person she is? I know what I'm telling you and I'll never get tired of saying it until you leave her… she is trash."

"Enough!" Darien snapped. "You have no right to insult my wife like this. Why can't you stop being so self centered and start thinking more about others? Stop insulting endlessly, and fix your own lack of good characteristics."

Rei only shook her head, "Ok I have no business doing here. I'm heading out somewhere." She turned to the chauffer, "Take me somewhere, I have to leave."

The chauffer nodded and opened the door for her.

Jaden immediately followed his wife, and both were gone leaving an awkward moment behind.

"I'm sorry sweetheart; I tried to make her--." Darien began.

Serena shook her head, "It's alright. She is only throwing a fit, there's no need for this to be an awkward moment. Forget about her, she's probably just having a bad day. Now why don't you tell these nice people to head back to work? I won't take anymore of their time."

Everyone was astounded. Darien, who rarely raised an eyebrow, did exactly that and looked at her as if she were from the moon.

That's when she knew that she had done a Serena thing not a Mina thing. "Is something wrong?"

"Go ahead, do as the lady asked. Please everyone, continue with your duties." At once everyone left and went about their business.

She yelped as Darien lifted her into his arms bridal-style, "As for you, you need to rest and relax. Let's go upstairs." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.


End file.
